Youngs Creek Reservoir Number 1 Fishing Guide, Delta County, Colorado

• Overview

  Out in Delta County, Colorado, sits Youngs Creek Reservoir Number 1. The ground around here is mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 10 acres — small enough to read in one session. Cedaredge lies 9.4 miles from the water. For a city, Boulder is 156 miles off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. The near end sees the visitors; the far end rarely does.

• Where to Fish on Youngs Creek Reservoir Number 1

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. County-wide records name rainbow trout, white sucker, flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and brown trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The near bank of this water is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 56°F and January about 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to this water around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Youngs Creek Reservoir Number 2 is 0.2 miles distant. Where this water is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.